Speed indicators



P 1963 E. w. THOMPSON SPEED INDICATORS Filed March 21, 1961 M/VEN TOR 622M flj/ FIG. I

Unite ear This invention relates to a device for determining the rate of flow of a liquid or the speed of a boat.

One object of the invention is to provide a portable instrument to indicate the speed a boat is traveling, showing the relative speed of the boat to the water, without regard to the angle or motion of the boat.

Another :object is to provide fishermen with a device to indicate the proper trolling speed to facilitate the maximum catch.

Another object is to provide an aid to navigation in determining the speed and location, by dead reckoning, of vessels.

A further object is to obtain accurate water flow rates in irrigmion and controlled water channels.

A particular advantage of this invention is the accuracy that is obtained with liquids at low speeds.

Another advantage is the simplicity of construction that requires no fragile parts and no installation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of the device illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the device in operation.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the device in operation.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the device when not in use or when the liquid speed is zero.

The construction has a frame '1, having a length sufficient to reach from a boat into the water or to suspend the vanes 2 and 3 into a liquid. The device can be held in the hand by the prongs 1A and 1B at a point on the upper end at about the location of 12 and 13. The prongs having a spring action.

Pin 6 is the axis on which vanes 2 and 3 swing. Pins 7 and 8 are stops to limit the arc of travel of vanes 2 and 3. Pins 6, 7 and 8 are drive fitted into prong 1A and loose in prong 1B in holes 9, 10 and 11.

Vanes 2 and 3 are hollow shapes. Vane 2 has a weighted insert 4 to cause it to be heavier than the liquid. Vane 3 has a buoyant insert causing it to be lighter than the liquid.

Side 2A of vane 2 is graduated with speed markings or a sequence of colors. Side 3A of vane 3 is colored so that the edge next to vane 2 acts as an indicator against side 0A.

For operation, this device can be held by hand at points 12 and 13 with the vanes 2 and 3' below the sur- Patented Sept. 24, 1&6?

ice

face of the liquid, the current approaching the side having pins 6, 7 and 8 nearest that edge and causing pressure on surfaces 28 and 3B. Vane 2 being Weighted assumes a downward angle and vane 3 being buoyant assumes an upward angle. The angle 14 becomes proportionate to the speed of the liquid acting upon the vanes 2 and 3. To read the speed, points 12 and 13 are squeezed by the hand or device holding the frame, causing pressure along pin =6, this presses vanes 2. and 3 together and holds by friction the position caused by the liquid speed. The device is lifted from the liquid and the liquid speed read at the junction of surface 2A and 3A. When the squeeze pressure is removed from the prongs, the vanes are free to swing and take another reading of the liquid speed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A boat speed indicator comprising two vanes mounted adjacent to the lower end of a spring frame, the spring frame having two parallel legs spaced and secured at the upper end, the two vanes being hollow with one of said vanes having a weighted insert and one side having graduations for speed identification, the second vane having a buoyant insert and one side marked to act as an indicator, the two vanes having a common bearing means and mounted on a common axis with the rotation of the vanes limited to one hundred eighty degrees by stop pins mounted in the legs within the length of the vanes, the liquid deflecting the buoyant vane from an upward vertical position and the weighted vane from a downward vertical position, by scissor action placing the indicator vane against the graduated vane in relation to the speed out the liquid, the legs of the spring frame being deflect-able to bear against the vane members to hold them in the indicating position by friction.

2. A liquid speed indicator consisting of two vanes having a common axis, mounted ofI" center in one end of a spring frame, one vane being heavier than the liquid, one vane being lighter than the liquid, the first of the two vanes graduated for speed identification, the second vane marked to indicate speed against the graduations of the first vane, the spring frame constructed to temporarily hold the vanes-at any angle established by the speed of the liquid flow with the application of pressure on the spring frame, the scissor action at the junction of the two vanes indicating the liquid speed on the graduated vane.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 185,508 Germany May 30, 1907 4471535- r-r f- 'r-r-ir -w-r' 2' 

1. A BOAT SPEED INDICATOR COMPRISING TWO VANES MOUNTED ADJACENT TO THE LOWER END OF A SPRING FRAME, THE SPRING FRAME HAVING TWO PARALLEL LEGS SPACED AND SECURED AT THE UPPER END, THE TWO VANES BEING HOLLOW WITH ONE OF SAID VANES HAVING A WEIGHTED INSERT AND ONE SIDE HAVING GRADUATIONS FOR SPEED IDENTIFICATION, THE SECOND VANE HAVING A BUOYANT INSERT AND ONE SIDE MARKED TO ACT AS AN INDICATOR, THE TWO VANES HAVING A COMMON BEARING MEANS AND MOUNTED ON A COMMON AXIS WITH THE ROTATION OF THE VANES LIMITED TO 180* BY STOP PINS MOUNTED IN THE LEGS WITHIN THE LENGTH OF THE VANES, THE LIQUID DEFLECTING THE BUOYANT VANE FROM AN UPWARD VERTICAL POSITION AND THE WEIGHTED VANE FROM A DOWNWARD VERTICAL POSITION, BY SCISSOR ACTION PLACING THE INDICATOR VANE AGAINST THE GRADUATED VANE IN RELATION TO THE SPEED OF THE LIQUID, THE LEGS OF THE SPRING FRAME BEING DEFLECTABLE TO BEAR AGAINST THE VANE MEMBERS TO HOLD THEM IN THE INDICATING POSITION BY FRICTION. 